diff --git a/grovedb/src/element/query.rs b/grovedb/src/element/query.rs
index 98502575..8eba0c15 100644
--- a/grovedb/src/element/query.rs
+++ b/grovedb/src/element/query.rs
@@ -741,19 +741,16 @@ impl Element {
         if !item.is_range() {
             // this is a query on a key
             if let QueryItem::Key(key) = item {
-                let subtree = cost_return_on_error!(
-                    &mut cost,
-                    util::open_transactional_merk_at_path(
-                        storage,
-                        subtree_path,
-                        transaction,
-                        None,
-                        grove_version
-                    )
-                );
-                let element_res =
-                    Element::get(&subtree, key, query_options.allow_cache, grove_version)
-                        .unwrap_add_cost(&mut cost);
+                let element_res = util::open_transactional_merk_at_path(
+                    storage,
+                    subtree_path,
+                    transaction,
+                    None,
+                    grove_version,
+                )
+                .flat_map_ok(|s| Element::get(&s, key, query_options.allow_cache, grove_version))
+                .unwrap_add_cost(&mut cost);
+
                 match element_res {
                     Ok(element) => {
                         let (subquery_path, subquery) =
@@ -782,7 +779,7 @@ impl Element {
                             Err(e) => {
                                 if !query_options.error_if_intermediate_path_tree_not_present {
                                     match e {
-                                        Error::PathParentLayerNotFound(_) => Ok(()),
+                                        Error::InvalidParentLayerPath(_) => Ok(()),
                                         _ => Err(e),
                                     }
                                 } else {
@@ -795,7 +792,7 @@ impl Element {
                     Err(e) => {
                         if !query_options.error_if_intermediate_path_tree_not_present {
                             match e {
-                                Error::PathParentLayerNotFound(_) => Ok(()),
+                                Error::InvalidParentLayerPath(_) => Ok(()),
                                 _ => Err(e),
                             }
                         } else {
@@ -862,7 +859,7 @@ impl Element {
                     Err(e) => {
                         if !query_options.error_if_intermediate_path_tree_not_present {
                             match e {
-                                Error::PathKeyNotFound(_) | Error::PathParentLayerNotFound(_) => (),
+                                Error::PathKeyNotFound(_) | Error::InvalidParentLayerPath(_) => (),
                                 _ => return Err(e).wrap_with_cost(cost),
                             }
                         } else {
@@ -1022,13 +1019,13 @@ mod tests {
                 &query,
                 QueryOptions::default(),
                 None,
-                grove_version
+                grove_version,
             )
             .unwrap()
             .expect("expected successful get_query"),
             vec![
                 Element::new_item(b"ayya".to_vec()),
-                Element::new_item(b"ayyc".to_vec())
+                Element::new_item(b"ayyc".to_vec()),
             ]
         );
 
@@ -1043,14 +1040,14 @@ mod tests {
                 &query,
                 QueryOptions::default(),
                 None,
-                grove_version
+                grove_version,
             )
             .unwrap()
             .expect("expected successful get_query"),
             vec![
                 Element::new_item(b"ayya".to_vec()),
                 Element::new_item(b"ayyb".to_vec()),
-                Element::new_item(b"ayyc".to_vec())
+                Element::new_item(b"ayyc".to_vec()),
             ]
         );
 
@@ -1065,14 +1062,14 @@ mod tests {
                 &query,
                 QueryOptions::default(),
                 None,
-                grove_version
+                grove_version,
             )
             .unwrap()
             .expect("expected successful get_query"),
             vec![
                 Element::new_item(b"ayyb".to_vec()),
                 Element::new_item(b"ayyc".to_vec()),
-                Element::new_item(b"ayyd".to_vec())
+                Element::new_item(b"ayyd".to_vec()),
             ]
         );
 
@@ -1088,14 +1085,14 @@ mod tests {
                 &query,
                 QueryOptions::default(),
                 None,
-                grove_version
+                grove_version,
             )
             .unwrap()
             .expect("expected successful get_query"),
             vec![
                 Element::new_item(b"ayya".to_vec()),
                 Element::new_item(b"ayyb".to_vec()),
-                Element::new_item(b"ayyc".to_vec())
+                Element::new_item(b"ayyc".to_vec()),
             ]
         );
     }
@@ -1158,7 +1155,7 @@ mod tests {
                 QueryOptions::default(),
                 QueryPathKeyElementTrioResultType,
                 None,
-                grove_version
+                grove_version,
             )
             .unwrap()
             .expect("expected successful get_query")
@@ -1173,7 +1170,7 @@ mod tests {
                     vec![TEST_LEAF.to_vec()],
                     b"c".to_vec(),
                     Element::new_item(b"ayyc".to_vec())
-                )
+                ),
             ]
         );
     }
@@ -1525,7 +1522,7 @@ mod tests {
         .expect("expected successful get_query");
         assert_eq!(
             elements.to_key_elements(),
-            vec![(b"c".to_vec(), Element::new_item(b"ayyc".to_vec())),]
+            vec![(b"c".to_vec(), Element::new_item(b"ayyc".to_vec()))]
         );
         assert_eq!(skipped, 0);
 
@@ -1549,7 +1546,7 @@ mod tests {
             elements.to_key_elements(),
             vec![
                 (b"a".to_vec(), Element::new_item(b"ayya".to_vec())),
-                (b"b".to_vec(), Element::new_item(b"ayyb".to_vec()))
+                (b"b".to_vec(), Element::new_item(b"ayyb".to_vec())),
             ]
         );
         assert_eq!(skipped, 0);
@@ -1570,7 +1567,7 @@ mod tests {
             elements.to_key_elements(),
             vec![
                 (b"b".to_vec(), Element::new_item(b"ayyb".to_vec())),
-                (b"c".to_vec(), Element::new_item(b"ayyc".to_vec()))
+                (b"c".to_vec(), Element::new_item(b"ayyc".to_vec())),
             ]
         );
         assert_eq!(skipped, 1);
@@ -1596,7 +1593,7 @@ mod tests {
             elements.to_key_elements(),
             vec![
                 (b"b".to_vec(), Element::new_item(b"ayyb".to_vec())),
-                (b"a".to_vec(), Element::new_item(b"ayya".to_vec()))
+                (b"a".to_vec(), Element::new_item(b"ayya".to_vec())),
             ]
         );
         assert_eq!(skipped, 1);
diff --git a/grovedb/src/error.rs b/grovedb/src/error.rs
index 92343935..4446f4ab 100644
--- a/grovedb/src/error.rs
+++ b/grovedb/src/error.rs
@@ -42,10 +42,6 @@ pub enum Error {
     /// isn't there
     #[error("path not found: {0}")]
     PathNotFound(String),
-    /// The path not found could represent a valid query, just where the parent
-    /// path merk isn't there
-    #[error("path parent layer not found: {0}")]
-    PathParentLayerNotFound(String),
 
     /// The path's item by key referenced was not found
     #[error("corrupted referenced path key not found: {0}")]
diff --git a/grovedb/src/operations/delete/mod.rs b/grovedb/src/operations/delete/mod.rs
index 68f964ba..fb81532b 100644
--- a/grovedb/src/operations/delete/mod.rs
+++ b/grovedb/src/operations/delete/mod.rs
@@ -833,7 +833,7 @@ mod tests {
                 grove_version
             )
             .unwrap(),
-            Err(Error::PathParentLayerNotFound(_))
+            Err(Error::InvalidParentLayerPath(_))
         ));
         // assert_eq!(db.subtrees.len().unwrap(), 3); // TEST_LEAF, ANOTHER_TEST_LEAF
         // TEST_LEAF.key4 stay
@@ -902,7 +902,7 @@ mod tests {
                 grove_version
             )
             .unwrap(),
-            Err(Error::PathParentLayerNotFound(_))
+            Err(Error::InvalidParentLayerPath(_))
         ));
         transaction.commit().expect("cannot commit transaction");
         assert!(matches!(
@@ -1024,7 +1024,7 @@ mod tests {
                 grove_version
             )
             .unwrap(),
-            Err(Error::PathParentLayerNotFound(_))
+            Err(Error::InvalidParentLayerPath(_))
         ));
 
         assert!(matches!(
@@ -1145,7 +1145,7 @@ mod tests {
                 grove_version
             )
             .unwrap(),
-            Err(Error::PathParentLayerNotFound(_))
+            Err(Error::InvalidParentLayerPath(_))
         ));
 
         assert!(matches!(
@@ -1239,7 +1239,7 @@ mod tests {
                 grove_version
             )
             .unwrap(),
-            Err(Error::PathParentLayerNotFound(_))
+            Err(Error::InvalidParentLayerPath(_))
         ));
         transaction.commit().expect("cannot commit transaction");
         assert!(matches!(
@@ -1324,7 +1324,7 @@ mod tests {
                 grove_version
             )
             .unwrap(),
-            Err(Error::PathParentLayerNotFound(_))
+            Err(Error::InvalidParentLayerPath(_))
         ));
         assert!(matches!(
             db.get([TEST_LEAF].as_ref(), b"key1", None, grove_version)
@@ -1727,7 +1727,7 @@ mod tests {
                 grove_version
             )
             .unwrap(),
-            Err(Error::PathParentLayerNotFound(_))
+            Err(Error::InvalidParentLayerPath(_))
         ));
         let key1_tree = db
             .get([TEST_LEAF].as_ref(), b"key1", None, grove_version)
diff --git a/grovedb/src/operations/get/mod.rs b/grovedb/src/operations/get/mod.rs
index f23f4335..41830873 100644
--- a/grovedb/src/operations/get/mod.rs
+++ b/grovedb/src/operations/get/mod.rs
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ impl GroveDb {
                         grove_version
                     )
                     .map_err(|e| match e {
-                        Error::PathParentLayerNotFound(p) => {
+                        Error::InvalidParentLayerPath(p) => {
                             Error::CorruptedReferencePathParentLayerNotFound(p)
                         }
                         Error::PathKeyNotFound(p) => {
@@ -281,12 +281,6 @@ impl GroveDb {
         let merk_to_get_from = cost_return_on_error!(
             &mut cost,
             self.open_transactional_merk_at_path(path, transaction, None, grove_version)
-                .map_err(|e| match e {
-                    Error::InvalidParentLayerPath(s) => {
-                        Error::PathParentLayerNotFound(s)
-                    }
-                    _ => e,
-                })
         );
 
         Element::get(&merk_to_get_from, key, allow_cache, grove_version).add_cost(cost)
@@ -304,17 +298,12 @@ impl GroveDb {
         let mut cost = OperationCost::default();
         let merk_result = self
             .open_transactional_merk_at_path(path, transaction, None, grove_version)
-            .map_err(|e| match e {
-                Error::InvalidParentLayerPath(s) => Error::PathParentLayerNotFound(s),
-                _ => e,
-            })
             .unwrap_add_cost(&mut cost);
         let merk = cost_return_on_error_no_add!(
             cost,
             match merk_result {
                 Ok(result) => Ok(Some(result)),
-                Err(Error::PathParentLayerNotFound(_)) | Err(Error::InvalidParentLayerPath(_)) =>
-                    Ok(None),
+                Err(Error::InvalidParentLayerPath(_)) => Ok(None),
                 Err(e) => Err(e),
             }
         );
diff --git a/grovedb/src/tests/mod.rs b/grovedb/src/tests/mod.rs
index b0540e72..69fb55f3 100644
--- a/grovedb/src/tests/mod.rs
+++ b/grovedb/src/tests/mod.rs
@@ -3929,7 +3929,7 @@ mod tests {
         assert!(elem_result.is_err());
         assert!(matches!(
             elem_result,
-            Err(Error::PathParentLayerNotFound(..))
+            Err(Error::InvalidParentLayerPath(..))
         ));
     }